Beauty in the birds

When it comes to bird-inspired fashion, the art is in the details.

By Phoenix Tarampi

As you’ve probably noticed in our October issue, birds are a major trend this season. From fabric prints to movies and from the runway to the living room, our feathery friends are making their way into the limelight.

Meet one contributor to the lovely world of bird-inspired fashion: Alicia Nassardeen, designer and owner of Talonalia jewelry. Her work includes necklaces and earrings that are cast from real claws and skulls of magpies, sparrows, and even owls. While I am a fan of her Owlet necklace, Nassardeen has many elegant yet stark pieces to choose from in her unique assortment of bird-inspired jewelry. Her work isn’t meant to become part of a trend, but to contribute to the timelessness of fashion in the form of jewelry.

How long have you been designing jewelry?“For a couple of years now. I didn’t start out with a dream to make necklaces; one day I felt the urge and went along with it.”

Can you tell me about why you’ve chosen birds and bones for your jewelry?“I think it’s a more approchable version of memento mori. For those not particularly into the macabre, it’s aesthetically pleasing with a bit of edge and irreverance to it. For those who are, they serve as reminders of the finite nature of life. The wearer can interpret what it means for them in their context.”

What do you think about the rising trend in “avian fashion?” From home decor to jewelry to clothing they’re popping up everywhere. How do you fit into this?“I tend not to like how ephemeral trends are. Something is in and goes out just as soon as it completely saturates a market. I don’t want to be trendy. I try to make things simple enough that they can be worn even when the masses move on from birds to something else.”

Walk me through your creative process. Where do you get your materials from?“It’s very intuitive. If I see something I like that’s able to be cast, I’ll make sure I get it. There are a few local shops here that sell oddities and I usually source from those.”

Who or what would you consider an inspiration for your work?“The idea that all things, both traditionally beautiful and those not so, can posess a beauty and points of interest that go beyond what they were originally intended for. I try to look at things differently to see how else they can be purposed.”

Alicia Nassardeen is a Los Angeles based blogger and jewelry designer. You can check her out at innyvinny.com

* The acrylic jewelry tree pictured above is by Umbra, and designed by Canadian designer David Quan.